The NBA is entering the best part of their offseason, which means names will go from roster to roster. Teams are looking to strengthen their squad and help out their stars. That’s the case of the Memphis Grizzlies, who just signed a player to support Ja Morant. The player in question was playing alongside Alperen Sengun for the Houston Rockets but got the short end of the stick after the Kevin Durant trade.
The player in question is center Jock Landale. He is entering his fifth year in the league after playing for the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, and the Houston Rockets for the last couple of years.
Landale was waived by the Rockets on Thursday. Memphis didn’t take long to pick him up, as Shams Charania from ESPN reported. The Grizzlies traded big man Jay Huff to Indiana, who is looking to replace Myles Turner. The hole then was filled by Landale.
The Landale experiment can work for Memphis
Landale won’t shock anyone with his numbers. He averaged 4.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists. He played only 11.9 minutes per game, but that’s because he was the backup for Alperen Sengun.
Jock Landale #2 of the Houston Rockets reacts after scoring a slam dunk against the Utah Jazz during the second period at Toyota Center on April 02, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
The starting center of Memphis is Zach Edey, who is good, but is not one to produce like Sengun. Edey only averaged 9.2 points playing 21.5 minutes. It’s a big-time opportunity for Landale to prove his worth.
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What are the Grizzlies expectations?
Memphis’ record last season was 48-34, which was good for 8th place in the Western Conference. However, the Grizzlies need to be better if they want to contend. The team was a great offensive unit averaging 121.7 points per game, the second-best of the league. However, their defense was awful, being ranked 24th out of 30.
Landale is a presence under the rim which means attacking the inside of the perimeter will be tough, as the roster also has Jaren Jackson Jr., one of the best defensive players in the NBA. They will guard the paint as Memphis looks to improve on their stock.
